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Brain storm techniques

You can probably imagine this scenario easily enough: you have to plan a party, fix a fancy dinner, create a masterpiece, or any of a number of things that require a lot of planning and foresight. The problem is that as you sit in front of your sheet of paper, pen in hand, ready to jot down all the brilliant ideas as they come to mind, you find that your mind is as blank as your piece of paper. What can you do to start the creative juices flowing? Is there any hope at all? Before you crumple up your paper and turn the planning over to someone else, give these ideas a try. You just might find your masterpiece yet!

Brain storm techniques

First you need to empty your mind of all the other distractions. Stop mentally preparing the grocery list, going through that pile of mail, and planning your day for tomorrow. A good way to let go of all these irrelevant details that are running through your mind is to picture something else and let your mind wrap around it. You may decide to picture the ocean. If this is the case, then really let yourself see the ocean. Notice the splashes of white in the azure water, and the curves the waves make just before they break onto the beach. Let yourself feel the sun on your back and the wind whispering through your hair. Now that you have cleared your mind, you are ready to start brainstorming!

If you are planning a party, focus on the people for whom you are giving the party. What do they truly enjoy? If they love nothing more than a stroll through the nearest arboretum, plan your party around that! You can make leaf shaped invitations, use real leaves and flowers to create a gorgeous centerpiece, and even decorate the gifts and goody bags with leaves. If the party is for the younger set, you can always decorate in the theme of the latest cartoon craze, or be more creative. Does the little guy love sharks? Use an aquarium theme! By focusing on the individual people and their favorite things you are sure to find more ideas than you could possibly use.
It may be that you have to write an incredible paper, and you are stumped as to what to write about. Begin with your guidelines. Is this a narrative essay, or are you trying to convince people to see things your way with a persuasive paper? If you are writing a narrative essay, let your mind wander. If you find yourself noticing the colors and textures of the fabrics around you, you might want to write about the symbolisms of such things. If you can’t stop thinking about a certain time in your life that made you laugh, cry, or get good and angry, that might be a great topic to expound on. If, on the other hand, you have to choose an issue to defend, take a moment to figure out what you are truly passionate about. The more you care about your issue, the better your persuasive paper will be. Think about what charities or organizations you would like to donate your time to (even if you don’t have the time to really do it). If you sympathize with the homeless people, you can write an essay on the poor treatment they receive from society. If you would love to read to the elderly, write a paper on the conditions of nursing homes and add some of your own ideas for how to improve them.

If all else fails and you are totally stuck on how to begin your paper, project, or idea, just let your mind wander. Go back to that beach by the ocean and wait to see who or what decides to join you. Whether you realize it or not, your brain keeps working on the project you give it even when you think you have given up. You may have noticed this when you wake up in the middle of the night suddenly remembering something that you just couldn’t remember earlier in the day! So roll out your beach towel and relax, and don’t be surprised when the inspiration you have been waiting for takes a seat right next to you.